This study utilizes survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study （CHARLS）from 2011 to 2020，selecting menopausal women aged 40-54 at baseline in 2011 who participated in at least two of the five follow-up surveys. ①Baseline data reveal significant impacts on the incidence of depressive symptoms among menopausal women based on urban or rural residence，education level，marital status，number of children，income，sleep quality，physical activity habits，self-rated memory，and self-rated health. ② Longitudinal analysis indicates a U - shaped pattern in the incidence of depressive symptoms among Chinese menopausal women，initially decreasing and then increasing. In addition to the variables mentioned above，factors such as birth cohort，social engagement，and menopausal status also have a notable impact. ③The influencing factors on depressive symptoms vary across birth cohorts. Based on these findings，the study recommends emphasizing the mental health of menopausal women，improving their psychological well - being， and providing targeted mental health support tailored to different demographic groups.